Sara Van Gerwen, Audrey Archibald
MARRIAGE
WHAT IS MARRIAGE?
 Marriage is a social union or legal contract
between individuals that creates kinship. It is
an institution in which interpersonal
relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are
acknowledged in a variety of ways,
depending on the culture or subculture in
which it is found
WHY DO PEOPLE GET MARRIED?
 They fall in love
 Afraid of being alone
 Feel obligated if pregnant, or have child
 Religious beliefs
DIFFERENT KIND OF MARRIAGES.
 Gay or Lesbian marriage
 Polygamy
 Arranged marriage
WHAT MAKES A MARRAIGE WORK?
 Respect
 Trust
 Faithfulness
 Love
 Commitment
 Honesty
 Sexually satisfied
 Show appreciation
JOE PAUL TYLER
BRANDON
MATE SELECTION
• Many people do not plan to remain single, but intend
to marry when they:
• Finished their education.
• Establish a career
• Earn some money
• Get a divorce
• Find a suitable partner
• In some countries the parents choose their spouse
for their child.
• Arranged marriages may involve talking with parents
and/or the parents of the families involved  Long
process of negotiation
Mate Selection within Arranged
Marriages
• Mates are chosen for you by parents, elders,
or marriage brokers (matchmakers essentially)
• Possible Factors
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–
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–
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Family Wealth
Social status
Education
Health
Physical appearance and ability to have children
Mate Selection within Arranged
Marriages
• Incest Taboos – People may not marry certain family
members; in place to prevent inbreeding or congenital
disabilities but also to limit jealousy within families
• In Canada there is a long list of those legally ineligible
for marriage including some relations by marriage or
adoption.
• In Canada, you cannot marry someone by which you
have ties of consanguinity (blood), affinity (marriage),
or adoption.
– Therefore you cannot marry your half-sibling, step-sibling
or your adopted sibling.
Consanguinity and Children of the
Israeli Kibbutz
• Virtually all cultures have an aversion to marriage
between relatives too closely related genetically.
It is known that there is a higher risk of disease
and early death for the offspring of parents who
are closely related. A Czech research study of 160
children born to women who had an incestuous
relationship with a father, brother, or son
revealed that more than half the offspring did not
survive long enough to have children themselves.
Of 95 children born to the same mothers by nonrelated father, over 90 percent were healthy
enough and lived long enough to have their own
children.
Consanguinity and Children of the
Israeli Kibbutz
• So strong is the taboo against consanguity that the
aversion to marry sibling can also apply to those who
are like siblings. On Israeli kibbutzim, non-related
children were raised as if they were siblings (communal
lifestyle). Children of both sexes shared dormitories
and washrooms and studied and worked together. IN
one study of the 2769 second generation kibbutz
members raised together as if they were sibling, not
one marriage among them occurred. The biological
rationale for limiting marriage partners it the basis of
social norms and laws forbidding marriage with close
relatives.
Fun facts
• Levirate - In some polygamous cultures marries
rules say that a man should marry the widow of
his dead brother.
• In other societies people practice the “sororate”
which is marriage to a wife’s sister.
– Example: man may marry wife’s sister if his wife can’t
have children. Some of the resulting children would be
considered those of the first wife.
– Example: wife dies; her family (kin group) will provide
a sister as a wife for the widower.
– Marriage is more of an alliance than a joining of
individuals.
Mate Selection within Arranged
Marriages
• Romantic love is not considered to be a good
basis for marriage in many cultures.
• Some cultures practice “child betrothal”;
Children under age of 10 promised to a family
for marriage, seen as legal contract that
cannot be broken without compensation. This
is done to keep “love attachments” from
developing.
Mate Selection within Arranged
Marriages
• Forced Marriage Help Website
Mate Selection within Arranged
Marriages
• In arranged marriages, personal fulfilment is not
necessarily a priority.
• Young people are taught that marriage represents a
union of families and that mate selection to too
important to be left in the hands of a young person.
• Some immigrants to Canada from Egypt, Lebanon,
Japan, Indian and Pakistan prefer to arrange marriages
for their children.
• With industrialization came the trend of free choice
marriage. Arranged marriage still exists but young
people want the right to veto their parents’ decision.
Free-Choice Marriage
• Although we think we marry for love
most Canadians choose their
partners according to certain
unspoken rules.
• Many of the same considerations are
made with free-choice marriage as
would be with arranged marriages.
– Companionship
– Sex
– Children
– Financial Support
– Getting away from home 
Wedding ritual right of passage
Free-Choice Marriage
• Most young people in North America choose their own
spouses, but they are often introduced to potential partners
by friends, siblings and relatives.
• When we fall in love we tend to do so according to these
implicit rules about who is attractive and appropriate.
Free-Choice Marriage
• If there were no implicit
rules involved in mate
selection we wouldn’t
have stories of forbidden
love (i.e.. Romeo and
Juliet … that girl and that
vampire, etc.)
Free-Choice Marriage
• Sometimes biology helps us to avoid people
who are too close to our gene pool
• How Smell Influences Sexual Attraction
• And sometimes it doesn’t ….
• Forbidden Love Story
• Rules of Attraction Strange Story
Free-Choice Marriage Theories
• There are many theories on why we select
mates. We will discuss 4:
– Social homogamy: Choose people from similar
socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.
• Live near each other
• Go to the same school
• Belong to the same organizations
Social Homogamy
• North American married
couples generally are of the
same race, within 3-4 years of
age, with similar education,
social status and income.
• You may see many interracial
relationships, marriages
between older and younger
people, and cases of
hypergamy (marring “up”) but
these situations do not
happen often.
Free-Choice Marriage Theories
• Theory of Complementary Needs
– Marrying those that meet your psychological
needs
• Men with dominant mothers seek mother substitute
• Abused seek an abuser
• Insecure person seeks someone who flatters them
– We may not know what our needs are when we
marry, or may realize this person does not satisfy
our needs anymore  marital conflict & divorce
Free-Choice Marriage Theories
• Developmental Theory of
Mate Selection
– End product of series of
interactions (like an escalator,
once you are on it is hard to get
off)
• Date
• One person negotiates for more
commitment
• Friends / family make assumptions
… put ideas into you head … apply
subtle pressure .. Etc. etc. Boom
you are married.
Free-Choice Marriage Theories
• Ideal Mate Theory
– Parental role models and past dating experience
give us an idea of what the “ideal mate” would be
– We look for someone who has these personality
and physical characteristics  your “type”
Mate Selection Conclusion
• Although we think we marry for love, most
Canadians choose their partners according to
certain unspoken rules.
• When we fall in love, we tend to do so
according to these implicit rules about who is
attractive and appropriate.
Purpose of
Marriage
Breanna&&Jessica
What is marriage?
• In 1984 marriage was defined as,
a socially legitimate sexual union
that starts with a public
announcement and is considered
to be somewhat permanent .
•
Fact; more people today form first sexual
union, by cohabiting and not marrying.
• The practice of marring varies
widely in Canada so we have to
examine its diversity to
understand how Canadians form
couples.
Helen Fischer
• Pair-bonding is essential to human survival
• To keep the human species alive we have to
procreate and protect our children.
• Both men and women have the biological urge
to reproduce.
• So pairing is biological or physical but
marriage is social.
Why choose to marry?
• Most people choose to
marry for personal
reasons.
– Gives them a more adult status
within society.
– Allows pooling of resources for
higher standard of living
– Provides sense of purpose
– Cultural expectations
Why choose to marry?
• May marry for social and
psychological reasons.
– Marriage provides
friendship and
companionship
– Fact; Media suggests
Marriage is a “Happy” state,
in which one can love or be
loved.
Why People Get Married
Why People Get Married
• Most people dream of falling in love
and marrying some day
•Even people who are in an arranged
marriages believe that after the
ceremony they will fall in love
• Couples in a marriage are expected to be
close friends, love each other
unconditionally and support one another
•In Canada marriage is assumed to be a
relationship based upon and enduring
romantic attraction to one another
• Married women believe that having a lasting
relationship as a couple is necessary for marriage
•Along with deep affection and a strong love is
necessary
•Men marry based on friendship,
children, to avoid dating and to gain
responsibility and social acceptability
Why choose to marry?
• Back to social exchange theory:
– It is better to be married than to be single
• Monica McGoldrick suggests
– “Men and women marry because it is just a
natural thing to do.”
– To marry has simply been part of the “natural”
progression through life.
Extras
• The beginning of the 21st Century, it is evident
that many people are not marrying.
• Marriage rate has declined
• Men and Women continue to
form conjugal relationships.
Extras
• For this reason the study of marriage now
must include other types of unions such as
common-law and cohabitation.
Christian and Katrina

Marriage as a binding relationship between a man
and a woman was probably one of the earliest
developments when human societies began to
organize themselves. It regulates sexual activity so
that the biological father can identify his offspring.

For most of history marriage has been viewed
as an economic unit.


Share resources and property
Love was a seldom a consideration in the
decision to marry, and most women had little
to say in their choice of partner.

Monogamy refers to a form of marriage in
which an individual has only one spouse at any
one time. However, monogamy may also refer
to the more general state of having only one
mate at any one time.
It is the practice of a man having more than
one wife, appears to have been the preferred
form of marriage in most societies
historically, since 84 percent of recorded
cultures have allowed it.

Some anthropologists believe that monogamy
only occurs when a man CANNOT support
more than one wife.

It is the practice wherein there are several men
are required to support a wife and children.

The historical roots of marriage traditions and
legal practices in Canada can be traced back to
the Ancient Romans, Greeks and Hebrews. To
understand the diversity of intimate
relationships in Canada, the historical roots of
Canadian Aboriginal Peoples and immigrants
from non-European cultures also need to be
considered.
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
The marriages of the ancient Hebrew people
over 4000 years ago were usually arranged
between patriarchal extended families for the
purpose of producing sons.
A betrothal, or promise to marry might have
been agreed upon when a boy and a girl were
quite young, but the marriage might not occur
until many years later.

The bride’s value as a potential mother was
symbolized by the payment of a bride prize
by the groom’s family to the bride’s family.
The bride’s family give her a “dowry” in the
form, household items, or land, so that she
was able to establish a home for her new
family. She also gained the dower rights to
property from her husband for her support.
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This was recorded in a marriage contract and
the wife was expected to obey her husband and
bear sons (or risk being divorced).
Love was seldom a factor in betrothal.
Most of these households were patriolocal or
located near the husband’s family.
In Ancient Rome as the roman empire
expanded, the previous patriolocal homes
became more equal as the men were away for
longer periods of time.
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People became more
wealthy and prominent
they saw marriage as more
of a way to acquire wealth.
Divorces were initiated
which lead to family
disorganization and
instability.
Cleopatra and Anthony
were married four times
each.
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This system was common in Rome whereas
Christians saw it as degenerate.
The Western family value system is loosely
based on the Christian system of marriage
(early Roman and ancient Hebrew)
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In the Middle Ages common-law marriages were
as common as legal church marriages.
The Catholic Church it necessary to regulate
marriage for social stability.
Enforced reading of marriage “banns” – public
announcement of marriage 3 weeks before
ceremony and priests to question whether anyone
objected to the union were initiated at this time as
well.
Done to ensure both men and women entered
contract willingly and that there was no reasons to
invalidate the marriage.
Marriage in Canada
By: Meagan, Nicole, Sammi
• In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries
the Europeans started to colonize Canada.
– Encountered Aboriginals who lived hunter-gather
lifestyle; Mainly matriolocal as women stayed
home with children.
• In Huron society only after a couple would
have a kid would marriage happen.
• Ojibwa and Iroquois societies did arranged
marriages and they were expected to stay
together forever.
• Men and women had clear division of labour
and both roles were highly valued.
• After the 19th century conquest husbands and
fathers were given legal authority over their
family  patriolocal
• Colonists from France and England who came for the
fur trade were mostly men. Women were in short
supply so they turned to the Aboriginal women for
temporary marriage agreements.
• In 1821 HBC (Hudson Bay Company) presented
marriage contracts for their workers and Aboriginal
women which said that the husband had a
responsibility to take care of his wife and kid even if he
returned to Europe.
• Man have often outnumbered women during times of
high immigration just like in frontier communities.
• The average age of a first marriage for women
was 20 and men 28.
• People world have to save for several years to
afford marriage. As a result most people were
older when they first got married or in some
cases remained single.
• Between the 1880s and 1900s men and
woman enjoyed the relative freedom over
their choice of marriage
• Canadians born in the early 20th century
tended to marry at a later age.
• Depression  1930s average age was 28-men
and 25-women
• WWII changed this trend  In the mid1940s1960s the average age is 25-men and 22women
• Divorce was rare in the nineteenth-century
• Divorce was illegal in Ontario until 1930 and
Quebec until 1968
• Historically divorce rates in Canada are one of
the lowest in the western world
• Prior to 1968, divorce was only granted for a
few reasons, with proof of adultery being the
most usual.
By. Janelle,
Meagan, Matt and
Jen A.k.a dinosaur


Almost all Canadians form some type of
union at some time in their lives.
1995 GSS - 94% of those 30-69 had formed
at least one union
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-88% of adolescents expect to marry and stay
with the same partner for life.
-In 1998 Canada's marriage rate was at an all
time low of 5.1 per 100.
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Both Men and Women seem to be rejecting
marriage but it is hard to gather data.
Some sociologists argue that people want to
marry but can’t; others suggest people just
don’t want to get married.
Increasing divorce rates may be a deterrent to
marriage.
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The lifetimes risk for divorce in Canada is
31%. (44% US)
In the past almost all men and women
married but now many are choosing to live
common-law.
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Canadians believe the best age to marry is
24 and 25 is the best age to conceive your
first child.
However, according to Stats Canada,
Canadians are waiting till late 20s to get
married.
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Young adults are delaying marriage but they
are not postponing sexual activity. Most
cohabitate before they marry.
Marriage has been delayed to allow for postsecondary education and to give time to find
jobs.
Those who do not have a stable job or who
do not think they can afford marriage
cohabitate instead  may delay marriage
until they are ready to have kids.
Identity
•When individuals marry, it changes how they
look at themselves as well as how others look
at them.
•Identity shifts to that of a husband or wife.
• More people desire commitment, despite the
fact that they could just live together and continue
to have sex before marriage.
•In the past people married to acquire status.
•Now, people marry those who have similar
goals and financial means in order to share
status.
•Individuals often choose to marry after a
family or societal crisis.  more willing to
commit
•Some may choose not to marry or delay
marrying if their parents have divorced.
•Women who cohabitated before marriage
are more likely to get a separate than marry
their partners.
Economics of Marriage
• Marriage provides physical and economic
survival benefits for a couple
•The division of labour helps to increase the
well being of both spouses and children and
the environment they live in
•In the past, Men have had a goal oriented
role, providing for their family and the
women had an emotional expressive role of
providing a supportive environment for their
families
•Many men and women associate marriage
with negative gender roles
•Men feel pressured to provide full financial
support and women feel they need to do all
the housework and take care of the children
and maintain a career on top of that.
•Men who are more educated are more likely to
let their wives share financial responsibility in the
marriage
•Women who are more educated are more likely
to not accept traditional marriage roles as well
•Egalitarian Relationships are those in which men
and women share responsibilities rather than
adhere to fixed gender roles.
•Marriages are no longer essential for economic
survival.
•Social Exchange means that being married must
outweigh staying single for people to want to
marry.
•Men and women who have views of traditional
marriage roles are most likely to marry
•More educated men are, the more likely they are
to accept women working  more willing to
marry.
•However, the more educated women become the
less chance they have of marrying as they will
want to peruse careers instead
•It is assumed that now men benefit from
marriage more than women.
By: Haley, Leah, Kevin and Shaunna
Assignment
• Give your opinion about today’s class. What
did you think about what was discussed?
What do you wish we talked more about?
What do you think we should have skipped
over?
• Should be at least 1 page double spaced.
• Label this “Marriage PowerPoint Response”